This invention relates to a multi-ply garment component and a method of fabrication, and more particularly to garment components including at least one fabric interlining layer between two outer fabric plies and their methods of fabrication.
Various types of garment components require a fabric interlining between two plies of fabric in order to impart additional support strength, stability, stiffness and/or body to the component. For example, shirt collars, neckbands, cuffs, epaulets, pocket flaps and various types of waistbands, belts and tabs generally are fabricated with two outer fabric plies sewn together and at least one interlining ply. Such multi-ply garment components may be fabricated by stitch-and-turn sewing operations or crease-banding operations.
In conventional crease-banding operations, garment components such as neckbands are formed from two complimentary bands each containing an outer fabric ply fused to an interlining having an adhesive coated on both sides. When the neckband is fabricated, the outer fabric and interlining are folded over and subjected to heat and pressure in order to prefold and fuse the neckband intermediates. When the crease-banded neckbands are assembled with a collar of three plies, the stitched portions of the shirt neck at the junction of the neckband and collar includes 11 plies of cloth as shown in the cross-section of FIG. 1. Crease-banded collars, neckbands and shirt cuffs and methods of fabrication are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,280.
Interlinings are required in these multi-ply garment components, as the fabric itself does not have sufficient structural integrity to support the components such as a cuff or, in the case of a neckband, to support the weight of a collar. It is not practical to use a heavier interlining than used in conventional crease-banding as described above. Two heavier interlinings would add bulk at the seams. It has also been suggested to use a heavier interlining on the inside or stamped neckband and a light interlining on the corresponding outside band. This solution results in inventory and handling problems as the complimentary neckband pieces are not functionally interchangeable with respect to the crease-banding heavy and light interlinings used.
Conventional crease-banding utilizing an interlining having adhesive on both surfaces also has shortcommings. Firstly, the interlining must be coated with adhesive on both surfaces and there are limited types of such interlining available commercially. It is not possible to fabricate a crease-banded component utilizing a 250 Denier 100% polyester interlining for wash and wear applications. A 100% polyester interlining, even when coated with a heat sensitive adhesive on both surfaces is too resilient to hold the crease to be utilized in conventional crease-banding operations.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved multi-ply garment component including an interlining ply and improved methods for their fabrication which overcome the above-noted problems associated with conventional crease-banding operations.